Chrysler-Badged Fiats Two Years Away
January 26, 2009
Chrysler Vice Chairman Jim Press announced at the National Automobile Dealers Association gathering in New Orleans this weekend that a Chrysler-badged Fiat could be introduced in less than two years. The company is reportedly looking at the Fiat 500, Panda and Punto models, but has not decided on a platform.
At the same time, Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli sent a letter to company employees Friday confirming the development of a new Dodge Durango SUV as well as a Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedan.
A new Jeep Grand Cherokee is known to be in the works as is a new model, the Dodge Hornet, based on an auto show concept vehicle. Chrysler remains in a deal with Nissan to use the Nissan Versa as the basis for a small car.
Chrysler insists on launching 24 new vehicles in the next 48 months.
The Durango has had fits and starts. Chrysler announced it was closing the Newark, Delaware, plant where it builds the Durango along with the virtually identical Chrysler Aspen. Chrysler introduced hybrid versions of both this fall and within a couple of weeks eliminated them as part of its cost reduction. The vehicles had used Two-Mode Hybrid technology developed in cooperation with General Motors, which already uses it on its Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade, and BMW, which will install it on a future SUV.
The future of rear-drive cars like the Charger and 300, available with the Hemi V8 engine, have been in doubt because of upcoming stricter fuel-efficiency regulations. The cars are built at Chrysler's Brampton, Ontario, plant in Canada.
Posted by Michelle Krebs at 7:45 AM under Business , Chrysler , Technology | Comments (0) | digg this | Seed Newsvine
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